CalEvents:Feb/Feb 19
From Sankofapedia
Notable events for February 19
Date
Event
Significance
February 19, 1919
PAN African Congress convenes in Paris, France
On this day, the first Pan-African Congress convened in Paris under the leadership of W.E.B. Du Bois. The congress addressed issues of colonialism and the rights of African people under colonial rule, marking the beginning of the Pan-African movement.
February 19, 1942
Tuskegee Airmen activated
On this day, the first group of African-American military aviators known as the Tuskegee Airmen was activated during World War II. Their service broke racial barriers in the U.S. military and contributed to the desegregation of the armed forces.
February 19, 1953
Georgia electrocutes an innocent African-American boy, Johnny Lee Jenkins
On this day, 14-year-old Johnny Lee Jenkins was wrongfully executed in Georgia, highlighting the racial injustices of the criminal justice system in the southern United States during the Jim Crow era.
February 19, 1965
Martin Luther King Jr. calls for protest against Vietnam War
On this day, Martin Luther King Jr. publicly spoke out against the Vietnam War, linking the fight for civil rights with opposition to the war. His stance on Vietnam became a key part of his broader critique of U.S. foreign policy and racial inequality.
February 19, 1990
Namibian independence transition negotiations completed
On this day, Namibia finalized negotiations for its transition to independence from South Africa. This marked a major victory in Africa’s decolonization process, with Namibia achieving independence later that year on March 21.
February 19, 2011
Libyan Civil War intensifies
On this day, the Libyan Civil War, which had erupted during the Arab Spring, intensified as anti-Gaddafi protests spread across the country. This conflict led to the eventual toppling of Muammar Gaddafi and had lasting consequences for North Africa and the African diaspora.
February 19, 2018
South Africa's Parliament votes to amend land reform laws
On this day, South Africa's Parliament voted to amend land reform laws to allow the expropriation of land without compensation, a contentious issue rooted in the country’s history of racial land dispossession under apartheid.